New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-29
TfUl FP IfN1R.

We gave some reasons Nf@t'ludI W. "'l''-
ing that Mr.. Lamar Is Tar nom hay
ing he necessary qualifications rs a lawyer Tor
a place upon the supreme Court bench. We
sunplcmcnt these with an extract nom l'iicr
written ~ a wdl-hnown lawyer IN the south
who is thoroughly familiar with Nr i-amaI
record and is 80 far from being Wirlcndiy to
him that he fayors confirmation, SAVING we
are bound To- have a Secession Democrat. W NY
not Lamar" We cannot give the writer
name, and those Whu are anxious 20 catch at
THIS cAcllsc for not being influenced by what
he says are. Of course. at liberty TO 10 -, but
we aye inclined 10 believe taat most oi our
reader, Will accept TEE lE'E-NI', assurance
that he i, a man OF character and prominence.
and that his stat omcnt> are cuttcd to much
weight He says Of Mr. lam2r:
4, TO- hi, I.,a record It {, haI-.y 'a'neh - call a
record Iie ha, newer b.'n cons d.r'd h} any on
sr,ai lawyer lie b, simply al eli" % o. h." a 800 81 GA
do nor o. nk be- Wa, ever ir.!iu: cODu-ri IA ono rf
case. lis reputation Il noi l',aL tbs Ia" h'- -
WAYS been to nina hut si.c show. o." mol tiiNh H.
ever mad, living Al the lar. He Va, COUNSEL Win
others To- ali tho hukluN. who in hu 'I"A day. used
t. b, Indicted ia rht Norihcrn h'".c' o' M''' ipr
and g.ncrali, the prisoners ami bhii" bon suffers
r,,ad,d guilty or "uoo ,outc d.rr." Gul 0c.c then
icsccd oil with lsh' pm. h"cnL no'
know how " Congressional blc tory j. maI' up
Lamar j. a vain man. and If a. hal had am ] al
record 10 would have sad ~. H., Ling a. ".c-,' mai
lccN.rc To cailow youths f. all b. can claim
Now We ask any reasonable man whether he
can conceive Of such statement Of facts being
made concerning any Of the distinguished
iud,c> now ON the Supreme Court bench or Of
any Of the men appointed during the period 81
Republican asccndancy. ." do not think ne
ever made living at the bar And TINS cN-
plains why. as VIC pointed ont Yesterday. Mr..
Lamar was always glad To get a job III teaching
whether il WAS ma hcmalics. IL" or political
economy. when there were no Offices To- hc had
1t was because he WAS not making "a living
at the law. Can au.thiug b" conceived more
prcpostcrou> than 10 give such a man one 81
the places reserved UP To thl> time for the
chiefs Of the profc ssiVu2 We could name one
member Of the court who resigned a pr"icN-
sional income amounting. So II was Understood
10 five times his present salary. to tab" ms
liacc there. The fact shows the success he hi'd
alt;,iurd. and the c>'im0tc he pat upon IN"
honor II "A seat in the supreme Count. Poverty
is no disgrace bat the fac, that Mr. Lamar
never made living out of the law Is proper
one for consideration by the senate. il shows
either that he lacked ability and knowledge
or that he never devoted b m,cil >uiI'lrnil! 10
the profession To win success. In cithcr case,
he is unfit.
But. il has been said. aud will he said, men
are appointed from public life who have not
been engaged for years before in active piac-
ticc This j. true, but We doubt If any one
can find a case where Il man has been al pointed
who has not made Il decided legal reputation
at some period ~ his life Salmon i. Chase
was appointed from public iilc and had not
been for number ~ years engaged IN pracliS-
ing law. But Mr.. Chase made his digest 81
Ohio laws when he WAS scarcely more than Il
boy and gained National reputation by his
argument in the Van Zandt ease before the
Supreme Court when he was still IA his thirtlcs.
Mr. lamars legal record rests mainly AZ the
writer quoted above states. upon AN occasional
lecture to callow Youths and his most dis
tingushcd effort in court far rs We can lind
out. was when, during the trial Of one Of the
kll-klux cases, he jumped over the railing, in
open court. and knocked down the United
states Marshal This is another feature Of his
record which should be- considered in deciding
whether Mr.. Lamar has the Judicial tcmpcra-
mcnt.p